Zimbabwe Services Employment
Employment in services SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS
Zimbabwe's services employment was 34.16% in 2025, ranked 19th globally. This represents a 2.3% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Zimbabwe's services employment stood at 34.16% in 2025, a rise of +0.77% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 34.06% by 2026. Zimbabwe ranked 19th globally.
Zimbabwe’s share of employment in services stood at 34.16 percent in 2025, placing it nineteenth globally and slightly above the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 33.45 percent and just below Equatorial Guinea’s 34.75 percent. The indicator has trended downward since the late‑1990s, falling from an all‑time peak of 39.49 percent in 1998 to a historic low of 20.98 percent during the 2008 crisis, before stabilising in the mid‑30s over the past decade. The 35‑year series shows that the sharp contraction in 2008 coincided with severe macro‑economic turmoil, including hyperinflation and a collapse in formal sector activity, which pushed workers into informal agriculture and mining. Recovery since then has been modest, driven by gradual reforms and limited expansion of tourism and telecommunications, yet the services share remains well below its pre‑crisis level. Continued investment in digital infrastructure and a more stable fiscal environment could accelerate a return toward the higher employment shares recorded in the late 1990s.
Data & projection
| Year | Services Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 34.38% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 34.22% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 34.06% | - | - |
| 2025 | 34.16% | +0.77% | #19 |
| 2024 | 33.39% | +0.24% | #19 |
| 2023 | 33.16% | −1.21% | #19 |
| 2022 | 34.37% | +1.48% | #24 |
| 2021 | 32.89% | +3.83% | #22 |
| 2020 | 29.07% | +2.66% | #14 |
| 2019 | 26.41% | −0.04% | #9 |
| 2018 | 26.45% | +0.60% | #10 |
| 2017 | 25.85% | +0.18% | #10 |
| 2016 | 25.67% | +0.03% | #10 |
| 2015 | 25.64% | +0.28% | #10 |
| 2014 | 25.36% | −0.03% | #12 |
| 2013 | 25.39% | −0.41% | #12 |
| 2012 | 25.80% | +0.88% | #13 |
| 2011 | 24.92% | +0.18% | #11 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Zimbabwe matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2024. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw services employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Zimbabwe's services employment was 34.16% in 2025. Ranked 19th globally. This represents a 2.3% increase from the previous year.
Zimbabwe's services employment peaked at 39.49% in 1998.
The lowest services employment in Zimbabwe was 20.98% in 2008.
Zimbabwe ranks 19th globally in services employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Zimbabwe's services employment is projected to reach 34.06% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The services employment of Zimbabwe in 2025 was 34.16%. This ranks 19th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_zimbabwe_services-employment,
title = {Zimbabwe Services Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/zimbabwe/services-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}